1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, in general, to child safety seats, and, in particular, to a child safety seat with dual safety crossbars having air bags that deploy outward, away from the child.
2. Technical Background
A variety of child safety car-seats are known. These car-seats are usually secured in a car by one of the car""s adult seat belts. The car-seat has restraining safety belts which are placed around the child to protect the child in the event of an automobile accident. However, these belts have limited utility because they cannot be applied tightly without unduly restraining the child and without producing significant discomfort and irritation to the child. Further protection can be provided to the child by adding a safety crossbar. These crossbars have the drawback of concentrating the impact and force of a collision to the specific body area of the child where the child makes contact with the crossbar during the collision. Thus, although the crossbar does not unduly restrict a child and will effectively keep a child within the car-seat, it creates a risk of injury to the child during impact.
Another means for protecting a child in a car-seat is to include one or more airbags in the car-seat. Air bags are well-known to protect adults during an automobile collision, and child safety car-seats have been designed to provide similar protection. Most of these air bag systems project the air bag into the child during deployment. Because of the relative instantaneous and explosive nature of air bag inflation during a collision, there is considerable fear and risk that these air bags can injure or smother a child during deployment.
Air bags attached to a single safety crossbar on the car-seat have been disclosed, but these air bags are excessively flexible and provide limited restriction of forward movement of the head during a collision. This creates a serious drawback because the comparatively heavy head of a child is readily thrown forward during a head-on collision, subjecting the cervical vertebra to high loads and stress.
The present invention is a child safety car-seat which has upper and a lower safety crossbars. Each crossbar contains an air bag which will be released and filled with gas in the event of an automobile collision. The air bags deploy and inflate outward from the crossbars, away from the seat and its child occupant, as the air bags fill with gas. A portion of the air bag also engulfs the crossbar. If the child is thrown forward, the child""s forward motion is prevented as the child makes contact with the airbags and crossbars. A majority of the force of impact is absorbed by the airbags and the child""s head is protected from being thrown forward.
An advantage of the present invention is an air bag system that does not deploy towards the child.
Another advantage of the present invention is an air bag system that will not smother the child during deployment.
Another advantage of the present invention is an air bag system that protects a child from flying debris resulting from an automobile accident.
Another advantage of the present invention is a simple air bag system for a child safety car-seat that is easy to construct and which can be activated by the car""s existing sensor and power system.